A positive look at feelings—the gifts they contain and how they help us grow.
This biblically grounded picture book reassures young readers that all types of feelings are natural and a part of God’s design for humankind.
Each rhyming quatrain of the text explores a different emotion that human beings experience. Accessible, child-friendly language is used to describe the physiological responses and subjective mental processes that accompany each feeling, and God’s awareness of and acceptance of our affective inner states are repeatedly emphasized. Going beyond the core emotions of happiness, sorrow, fear, and anger, Flinn also addresses excitement, anxiety, peace, shyness, and weariness. A different verse from the book of Psalms appears on each double-page spread, illuminating scriptural principles for understanding and managing the emotional dimension of our beings. The paradoxical idea that “God made us different and the same” is offered to express both the universality and individuality of emotional experiences. Kim’s simple, heartfelt digital illustrations depict children of different races experiencing various emotional situations such as a disagreement on the soccer field, a fall from a bike, a quiet moment in a flower garden, and more. The book succeeds as an age-appropriate tool for building the emotional intelligence children need as they enter school, Sunday school, and other social settings. The overarching message that God loves us no matter how we feel is comforting.
A positive look at feelings—the gifts they contain and how they help us grow. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Feb. 8, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5064-6852-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Beaming Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Visually appealing, but this is one celebration kids won’t be begging to attend.
Making mistakes is demoralizing; husband-and-wife team Brad and Kristi Montague have a solution: hold a Fail-a-Bration.
A Fail-a-Bration, the authors explain, is a party where participants consider past mistakes and learn from them together. Racially diverse kids, including one who uses a wheelchair, and several animals—a mouse, a bear, and a dinosaur—deal with minor but disheartening failures, from being cut from a sports team and spilling milk to ripping one’s pants while dancing to breaking a toy plane. Well, the dinosaur inadvertently frightens everyone, but most of the misfortunes are everyday occurrences. The suggestions for throwing a Fail-a-Bration are practical—send out invitations, decorate, and set up activities—but do most kids really want to attend a party where they discuss their mistakes? To say, “I failed at something today. Tomorrow, I’ll fail better”? One of the suggested party games is Terrible Charades, where players intentionally mislead guessers, which might be fun but will also be challenging for young children. The story’s didactic approach and purposeful verse are made more palatable by amusing illustrations done in a collage style, complete with real elements, such as cake icing, red-and-white bakery string, cookies, and cardboard. Overall, the premise falls a bit flat, but given many schools’ emphasis on social-emotional learning, educators may find the book useful.
Visually appealing, but this is one celebration kids won’t be begging to attend. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2024
ISBN: 9780593697146
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
